1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to chairs and, more particularly, to a lower-back supporting device of a chair. An independently shaped backrest panel is connected to a backrest panel frame, with movement-limiting units mounted to predetermined areas of the backrest panel frame and configured to be displaced vertically to any of a plurality of predetermined heights, depending on a sitter's stature, so that a corresponding section of the backrest panel protrudes forward and can be leaned on comfortably.
2. Description of Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, in order for a conventional chair 40 to be sat on comfortably, or more specifically with the sitter's upper and lower back well supported, it is common practice to equip the chair 40 with a backrest 20 which is connected to the rear side of a seat 10 and which not only has a predetermined width but also is shaped according to the human back. While the chair 40 does provide comfortable contact with a sitter's back, the shape of the backrest 20 is in most cases fixed and cannot be adjusted, making it impossible for those of different statures to have their lower backs in equally comfortable contact with the protruding section of the backrest 20. One who wishes to lean their lower back comfortably against the backrest 20 must, therefore, buy an additional lower-back or lumbar support 30 of an appropriate width and curvature, connect the lower-back or lumbar support 30 to the backrest 20, and then adjust the lower-back or lumbar support 30 vertically to the desired height.
This improvised solution is indeed capable of enabling comfortable contact with the lower backs of different sitters, but a commercially available lumbar support does not necessarily conform in width or curvature to (i.e., may be too wide, too narrow, too flat, or too curved for) the backrest of the chair in question. In view of this, the present invention provides a novel lower-back supporting device which achieves comfortable contact with a sitter's lower back by allowing vertical adjustment according to the sitter's stature.